News

JEDDAH — Saudi Hajj Minister Fouad al-Farsi told Iran not to politicise the hajj after Tehran leaders said Iranians could experience mistreatment during the annual pilgrimage, a report said on Wednesday.

Iran "should not take advantage of the pilgrimage for political purposes and its own agenda," Farsi was quoted as saying in the Al-Watan newspaper report.

Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently warned that Saudi Arabia, a predominantly Sunni Muslim country, might abuse the mainly Shiite Muslim pilgrims from Iran during the hajj, which begins in November.

"If they impose restrictions on Iranian pilgrims... the Islamic Republic will take the appropriate measures," Ahmadinejad said on Monday in a meeting with hajj officials, according to the official website for the Iranian presidency.

On Monday Khameini also raised the issue of alleged "insults and mistreatment against some Shiite Muslims," saying "the Saudi government must take action against such acts."